Process of smelting ores.



UNETE TATES ATENT @EEECE HENRY ARDEN, or SANDIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF sMELTrNo ones.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented st. 22, 190?.

Application filed September 24. 1906. Serial No. 336,025!

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ARDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Proccss of Smelt:

refcrabl em lo ed. The term ore is used herein 7 y Y in its broadest sense, as including concentrates, mattes and other sources of metal or metallurgical products.

It has hertofore been proposed to effect reactions,

' sucli as the reduction-of ores or the productioh of carbids and other compounds, by subjecting the ore or a suitable charge mixture to the action of a highly heated gas, such as carbon inonoxid, watcr'gas or nitrogen. Such methods have not however been commercially successful, mainly by reason of the difficulty of con-- vcying through the mediun'i of a gas a suIii .-ientquantity of heat to secure and maintain a reacting temperature. I have now discovered that by supplementing the heat conveyed by the gas by heat developed by combustion, and preferably by the oxidation of potroleum or petroleum products, such reductions and reactions maybe carried out in an economical and process is not restricted to the particular reactions highly efficient manner.

I will describe the in ention by reference to spe-' cific examples thereof, 1 being understood that the given by Way of example, nor to the specific conditions stated.

For the reduction of iron orcs I prefer to proceed as follows: A hematite. or other iron ore, preferably mixed with a suitable flux, is charged into a furnace similar in design to an ordinary blastv furnace, but having two twycrs or sets of twycrs at different levels, the lower set situated as usual at the level of thecruciblc, and the upper set at approximately one-third the height of the furnace above the crucible. 'lhrough the upper twycrs I introduce petroleum orits heavier fractions, together with sullicient air for complete combustion, that is for the oxidation of the carbon to carbon dioxid. The air for this purpose. is highly heated, preferably by causing it to traverse an electric furnace or heater. This heater is preferably of the resistance type, the rhsistors comprising bars or plates of such character as to besubstantially unaffected by the air. I have found {that such resistors are conveniently prepared by coating carbon in the form of bars with a refractory layer of carborundum, applied as a paint, using sodium silicate as a hinder; or an excellent resistor, particularly where currents of comparatively high potential are used, comprises a bar or. carborundurn consisting oi grains bound by sodium silicate or otherwise.

- It will be understood that I do not restrict myself to the use of any particular material as a resistor, it being oxidized by air at theteniperature employed. The air should be heated. to such high degree, and should be introduced in such volume, as will suffice to raise the body ore nearly or quite to the temperature at which its reduction by carbon monoxid may be accomplished. 1

The body of ore preliminarily heated as abovedescribed, is reduced by highly heated carbon inonoxid introduced through the lower twyors. This carbon monoxid is produced by the combustion of petroleum,

In practice a certain proportion of carbon dioxid is necessarily produced, to reduce which, as well as the water vapor, the gas is passed through a body of carbon in a closed receptacle or furnace, the carbon being maintained'at a suitable temperature by inclusion in circuit as an electrical resistance. The resulting carbon monoxid is then heated to such higher temperatuire as may be necessary to effect the complete reduction of the ore, such heating being preferably accomplished electrically and in the same or other electric furnace. I prefer to employ for this purpose a supplemental electric furnace or superhcater, which may comprise resistors of carbon suitably disposed to. insure, the oven heating of the gas. From this furnace the gas passes -my invention, the effect desired being to subject the the hydrocarbon in an independent furnace, preferably? of the electric resistance type, and to convey the vapors through the superheater above described and thence essential merely that it should remain substantially undescribed;

and is readily renderedcontinuous.

I claim:

1. The process of smelting ores, which consists in heating a non-oxidizing gas to a high temperature, commingiing with the samea hydrocarbon vapor, and subjecting the ore tothe aetionjif the mixture,-substantially as described.

- 1 2. The process of smelting ores,.whichconsists in heat ing a non-oxidizing gas to a high temperature by electrically developed heat, c-onimingling with the same a hydro carbon vapor, and subjecting the ore to the action o f'the heated mixture, substantially as described. Y

The process of smelting ores, which consists in heating carbon monoxid to a high temperature, commingling therewith a hydrocarbon vapor, and subjecting the ore to the action ,of the heated mixture of carbon monoxid and hydrocarbon vapors so produced substantially. as described.

4. The process of smelting ores, which consists in burning fuel in presence of the ore, thereby heating the same, and their reducing the ore by a highly heated reducing gas in presence of a hydrocarbon vapor, substantiallyas.

The process of smelting ores, which consists in heat. in: a body of ore by oxidized products of combustion, and thou reducing the same by a highly heated -reducing gas containing crbon monoxid anda hydrocarbon'vapor, sub stantially as described. I V

6.. The process of smelting ores, which consists in burn inc; fuel in presence of the ore, therebyjheuting thesame, heating-a gas to a high temperature by electrically developed heat, commingling therewith a hydrocarbon vapor and aubjecting the ore to said heated gas, substantially as described. I

T. The process of smelting ores, which consists in heating a body of ore by oxidized products of coinbu tion, heat: ing a gas to a high temperature by ele -rice. devsloped heat, commingling therewith a hydrocarbon vapor, and subjecting theore to the action of said gas andvapor, sub stantially as described.

S. The process of smelting ores, which consists in heating :1 body-9'1 me by oxidized products'of combustion, heating a reducing gas to.a high temperature by electrically developed heat, commingling therewith a hydrocarbon vapor, 'and subjectingthe ore to the action of said gas and vapor, substantially as described.

9. The process of smelting ores, which consistsin heating a body of ore by oxidized products of combustion, heating carbon monoxid to a high temperature by electrically developed heat, commingling therewith a hydrocarbon vapm, and subjecting the ore to the action of said gas and vaporfsuhstantially as described.

.10. The process of smelting ores, which consists in heating a body of ore by oxidized products of combustion, oxidizing a liquid hydrocarbon to produce a gaseous mixture containing carbon monoxid, superheating saidgaseous mixture, and conveying the-'same'into contactwith said heated body of ore, substantially as described.

' 11. The process of smelting ores,'which consists in oxi- .dizing a liquid hydrocarbon'to produce a-gaseous mixture containing carbon 'monoxid, passing the mixture into con tact with heated" carbon, zsuperheating the resulting gas by electricallyv developed heat, and conveying .the same 4 into contact with aheatcd body of ore, substantiallyas described. Y

12. The process of'smeltlng' ores, which consists in oxidizing a lliquid hydrocarbon to produce a;gaseo us mixturecontaining carbon moiioirid, superheatingeaid gaseous mix tuieby'elec'trlcalty developed heat, ommingiing'ahydrocarbon vapor-"therewith; andconveying the resulting mix- I tureinto contact with .as described.

13. The, process of treating ores, which consists in oxi-" ,dizinge' liquid' hydrocarbonto produce a gaseous snixtlire containing carbonmonoxld, passin'g'the mixture'into con;

Tract with heatedycd it; means Qfelectricsllly" developed-heat, coinniingling therewith ahydrocarbon vapori-and conveying the resulting mixture into "contact'witha heated body of ore. substantially asLde scribed.

in testimony whereofl I aflix my signature in presence-of two-witnesses;

- 'HENRY ARDEN.

Witnesses:

G. W. Fisnnunn, v 'R..1 I. GUNnrs'.

n, superheating the resulting gas by.

y a-heated body of ore, substantially 

